Device, method, and graphical user interface for moving user interface objects

Abstract

An electronic device, while displaying a user interface with a favored navigation axis, detects first movement of a contact on a touch-sensitive surface that includes a first component along the favored navigation axis and a second component in a direction different from the favored navigation axis. In response, if first movement meets direction-lock termination criteria, the device moves one or more user interface objects in two dimensions in accordance with both components of the first movement; and if first movement does not meet the direction-lock termination criteria, the device moves user interface objects in one dimension along the favored navigation axis in accordance with the first component of the first movement. After meeting the direction-lock termination criteria, in response to continued second movement of the contact, the device moves user interface objects in accordance with the second movement without regard to whether the second movement meets the direction-lock termination criteria.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 at an electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface and a display:
 displaying, on the display, a user interface with a favored navigation axis; and 
 while displaying the user interface on the display, detecting a contact on the touch-sensitive surface and detecting a first movement of the contact on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the first movement of the contact includes:
 a first component of the first movement in a direction along the favored navigation axis; and 
 a second component of the first movement in a direction different from the favored navigation axis; and 
 
 in response to detecting the first movement of the contact:
 in accordance with a determination that the first movement meets direction-lock termination criteria, moving one or more user interface objects of the user interface in two dimensions in accordance with the first component of the first movement and the second component of the first movement, wherein, immediately prior to detecting the first movement of the contact, the one or more user interface objects each have respective initial positions along a secondary navigation axis different from the favored navigation axis; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the first movement does not meet the direction-lock termination criteria, moving one or more user interface objects of the user interface in one dimension along the favored navigation axis in accordance with the first component of the first movement; 
 
 after determining that the first movement meets the direction-lock termination criteria and while continuing to detect the contact on the touch-sensitive surface:
 detecting a second movement of the contact on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the second movement of the contact includes:
 a first component of the second movement in a direction along the favored navigation axis; and 
 a second component of the second movement in a direction different from the favored navigation axis; and 
 
 
 in response to detecting the second movement of the contact, moving one or more user interface objects of the user interface in accordance with the second movement without regard to whether the second movement meets the direction-lock termination criteria; 
 after moving the one or more user interface objects of the user interface in accordance with the second movement without regard to whether the second movement meets the direction-lock termination criteria:
 detecting a lift-off of the contact; and 
 in response to detecting the lift-off of the contact, moving each of the one or more user interface objects of the user interface only along the secondary navigation axis to their respective initial positions along the secondary navigation axis. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , including, after determining that the first movement does not meet the direction-lock termination criteria and while continuing to detect the contact on the touch-sensitive surface:
 detecting a third movement of the contact on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the third movement of the contact includes:
 a first component of the third movement in a direction along the favored navigation axis; and 
 a second component of the third movement in a direction different from the favored navigation axis; and 
 in response to detecting the third movement of the contact: 
 in accordance with a determination that the third movement meets the direction-lock termination criteria, moving one or more user interface objects of the user interface in two dimensions in accordance with the first component of the third movement and the second component of the third movement; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the third movement does not meet the direction-lock termination criteria, moving one or more user interface objects of the user interface in one dimension along the favored navigation axis in accordance with the first component of the third movement. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the direction-lock termination criteria include a criterion that is met when an angle between the first movement of the contact and the favored navigation axis is greater than a predetermined angle. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method includes, displaying metadata for the one or more user interface objects as the one more user interface objects move, in response to the second movement of the contact, in a direction perpendicular to the favored navigation axis. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the direction-lock termination criteria include a criterion that is met when the first movement starts more than a predetermined distance from a respective edge of the touch-sensitive surface; 
 an amount of movement of the one or more user interface objects perpendicular to the favored navigation axis is proportional to an amount of movement of the contact toward the respective edge of the touch-sensitive surface; and 
 the predetermined distance is a distance selected such that movement toward the respective edge of the touch-sensitive surface from a point on the touch-sensitive surface that is less than the predetermined distance from the respective edge of the touch-sensitive surface would not be sufficient to fully display the metadata for the one or more user interface objects on the display. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more user interface objects comprise a sequence of electronic messages displayed in the user interface, and the metadata comprises message time information for at least two electronic messages in the sequence of electronic messages. 
     
     
       7. An electronic device, comprising:
 a display; 
 a touch-sensitive surface; 
 one or more processors; 
 memory; and 
 one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
 displaying, on the display, a user interface with a favored navigation axis; and 
 while displaying the user interface on the display, detecting a contact on the touch-sensitive surface and detecting a first movement of the contact on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the first movement of the contact includes:
 a first component of the first movement in a direction along the favored navigation axis; and 
 a second component of the first movement in a direction different from the favored navigation axis; and 
 
 in response to detecting the first movement of the contact:
 in accordance with a determination that the first movement meets direction-lock termination criteria, moving one or more user interface objects of the user interface in two dimensions in accordance with the first component of the first movement and the second component of the first movement, wherein, immediately prior to detecting the first movement of the contact, the one or more user interface objects each have respective initial positions along a secondary navigation axis different from the favored navigation axis; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the first movement does not meet the direction-lock termination criteria, moving one or more user interface objects of the user interface in one dimension along the favored navigation axis in accordance with the first component of the first movement;
 after determining that the first movement meets the direction-lock termination criteria and while continuing to detect the contact on the touch-sensitive surface: 
 
 detecting a second movement of the contact on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the second movement of the contact includes:
 a first component of the second movement in a direction along the favored navigation axis; and 
 a second component of the second movement in a direction different from the favored navigation axis; and 
 
 in response to detecting the second movement of the contact, moving one or more user interface objects of the user interface in accordance with the second movement without regard to whether the second movement meets the direction-lock termination criteria; 
 after moving the one or more user interface objects of the user interface in accordance with the second movement without regard to whether the second movement meets the direction-lock termination criteria:
 detecting a lift-off of the contact; and 
 in response to detecting the lift-off of the contact, moving each of the one or more user interface objects of the user interface only along the secondary navigation axis to their respective initial positions along the secondary navigation axis. 
 
 
 
 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:
 after determining that the first movement does not meet the direction-lock termination criteria and while continuing to detect the contact on the touch-sensitive surface:
 detecting a third movement of the contact on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the third movement of the contact includes:
 a first component of the third movement in a direction along the favored navigation axis; and 
 a second component of the third movement in a direction different from the favored navigation axis; and 
 
 in response to detecting the third movement of the contact:
 in accordance with a determination that the third movement meets the direction-lock termination criteria, moving one or more user interface objects of the user interface in two dimensions in accordance with the first component of the third movement and the second component of the third movement; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the third movement does not meet the direction-lock termination criteria, moving one or more user interface objects of the user interface in one dimension along the favored navigation axis in accordance with the first component of the third movement. 
 
 
 
     
     
       9. The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein the direction-lock termination criteria include a criterion that is met when an angle between the first movement of the contact and the favored navigation axis is greater than a predetermined angle. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more programs include instructions for displaying metadata for the one or more user interface objects as the one more user interface objects move, in response to the second movement of the contact, in a direction perpendicular to the favored navigation axis. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the direction-lock termination criteria include a criterion that is met when the first movement starts more than a predetermined distance from a respective edge of the touch-sensitive surface; 
 an amount of movement of the one or more user interface objects perpendicular to the favored navigation axis is proportional to an amount of movement of the contact toward the respective edge of the touch-sensitive surface; and 
 the predetermined distance is a distance selected such that movement toward the respective edge of the touch-sensitive surface from a point on the touch-sensitive surface that is less than the predetermined distance from the respective edge of the touch-sensitive surface would not be sufficient to fully display the metadata for the one or more user interface objects on the display. 
 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more user interface objects comprise a sequence of electronic messages displayed in the user interface, and the metadata comprises message time information for at least two electronic messages in the sequence of electronic messages. 
     
     
       13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs comprising instructions, that when executed by an electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface and a display, cause the electronic device to:
 display, on the display, a user interface with a favored navigation axis; and 
 while displaying the user interface on the display, detect a contact on the touch-sensitive surface and detecting a first movement of the contact on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the first movement of the contact includes:
 a first component of the first movement in a direction along the favored navigation axis; and 
 a second component of the first movement in a direction different from the favored navigation axis; and 
 
 in response to detecting the first movement of the contact:
 in accordance with a determination that the first movement meets direction-lock termination criteria, move one or more user interface objects of the user interface in two dimensions in accordance with the first component of the first movement and the second component of the first movement, wherein, immediately prior to detecting the first movement of the contact, the one or more user interface objects each have respective initial positions along a secondary navigation axis different from the favored navigation axis; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the first movement does not meet the direction-lock termination criteria, move one or more user interface objects of the user interface in one dimension along the favored navigation axis in accordance with the first component of the first movement; 
 
 after determining that the first movement meets the direction-lock termination criteria and while continuing to detect the contact on the touch-sensitive surface:
 detect a second movement of the contact on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the second movement of the contact includes:
 a first component of the second movement in a direction along the favored navigation axis; and 
 a second component of the second movement in a direction different from the favored navigation axis; and 
 
 
 in response to detecting the second movement of the contact, move one or more user interface objects of the user interface in accordance with the second movement without regard to whether the second movement meets the direction-lock termination criteria; 
 after moving the one or more user interface objects of the user interface in accordance with the second movement without regard to whether the second movement meets the direction-lock termination criteria:
 detect a lift-off of the contact; and 
 in response to detecting the lift-off of the contact, move each of the one or more user interface objects of the user interface only along the secondary navigation axis to their respective initial positions along the secondary navigation axis. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 13 , including instructions, that when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to:
 after determining that the first movement does not meet the direction-lock termination criteria and while continuing to detect the contact on the touch-sensitive surface:
 detect a third movement of the contact on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the third movement of the contact includes:
 a first component of the third movement in a direction along the favored navigation axis; and 
 a second component of the third movement in a direction different from the favored navigation axis; and 
 
 in response to detecting the third movement of the contact:
 in accordance with a determination that the third movement meets the direction-lock termination criteria, move one or more user interface objects of the user interface in two dimensions in accordance with the first component of the third movement and the second component of the third movement; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the third movement does not meet the direction-lock termination criteria, move one or more user interface objects of the user interface in one dimension along the favored navigation axis in accordance with the first component of the third movement. 
 
 
 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein the direction-lock termination criteria include a criterion that is met when an angle between the first movement of the contact and the favored navigation axis is greater than a predetermined angle. 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein one or more programs include instructions, that when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to display metadata for the one or more user interface objects as the one more user interface objects move, in response to the second movement of the contact, in a direction perpendicular to the favored navigation axis. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the direction-lock termination criteria include a criterion that is met when the first movement starts more than a predetermined distance from a respective edge of the touch-sensitive surface; 
 an amount of movement of the one or more user interface objects perpendicular to the favored navigation axis is proportional to an amount of movement of the contact toward the respective edge of the touch-sensitive surface; and 
 the predetermined distance is a distance selected such that movement toward the respective edge of the touch-sensitive surface from a point on the touch-sensitive surface that is less than the predetermined distance from the respective edge of the touch-sensitive surface would not be sufficient to fully display the metadata for the one or more user interface objects on the display. 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more user interface objects comprise a sequence of electronic messages displayed in the user interface, and the metadata comprises message time information for at least two electronic messages in the sequence of electronic messages.